Strategies to Win Rounds in Video Poker
Video poker and slot games have a lot in common — easy gameplay, no interaction with dealer or players, and are governed by a random-number generator. But unlike slot games that depend on pure luck, you have some form of control in your game when playing video poker to boost your chance of winning. In fact, you can use the following effective video poker strategies to win many rounds.
1 │ Know the Different Poker Hands
In playing video poker, you can decide what to do with your initial five cards. You can discard all, keep all, or keep half and discard the rest. But before you decide what to do with your cards, take note that the following hands may make you win:
- Royal Flush – a combination of Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10 of the same suit.
- Straight Flush – a group of five consecutive cards of the same suit (e.g. 3-4-5-6-7 of Hearts).
- Four-of-a-Kind – a group of four cards of the same rank (e.g. 2 of Hearts, 2 of Spades, 2 of Clubs, and 2 of Diamonds).
- Full House – a combination of three cards of one rank and two cards of a different rank (e.g. 4 of Hearts, 4 of Diamonds, 4 of Spades, 5 of Clubs, and 5 of Spades).
- Flush – it is a group of five cards of the same suit (e.g. 2, 7, 8, 10, and 3 of Hearts).
- Straight – a combination of five consecutive cards in mixed suits (e.g . 4 of Spades, 5 of Diamonds, 6 of Hearts, 7 of Clubs, and 8 of Spades).
- Three-of-a-Kind – a group of three cards of the same rank (e.g. 3 of Diamonds, 3 of Clubs, and 3 of Spades).
- Two-Pair – a combination of two cards of the same rank and another set of two cards of the same rank (e.g. 8 of Diamonds, 8 of Spades, Ace of Hearts, and Ace of Clubs).
If, for instance, your initial cards are Ace, Jack, 10, of Spades, and 4 of Hearts and 5 of Diamonds, you can discard your 4 of Hearts and 5 of Diamonds in hopes that you can get a Queen and a King. One best way to win the game is to memorize the combination of the poker hands for you to know what possible winning hands you can make with the dealt cards.
2 │ Study Your Cards and the Community Cards Thoroughly
Sometimes, players opt for just a two-pair or a three-of-a-kind because creating these combinations is easier and faster compared with forming a royal flush or a straight flush. But would you just settle for a payout of 1 to 1 or 2 to 1, when you can win as much as 800 to 1?
Study not only your cards but also the community cards or those that have already been laid on the table face up as well as those that are yet to be dealt. This way, you will know the possibility of you getting the cards that you wish to hold.
3 │ Play Using the Maximum Coins
Betting with your maximum coins is not recommended in some casino games. But if you are playing video poker and you know so well how to play the game, playing with max bets is the best way to maximize your win. Imagine betting all your coins and getting a royal flush, which is worth a big 800-to-1 payout. Although the outcome of the game is random, you’ll never know when the next royal flush or a high paying hand is going to come out, so it is better to be prepared to enjoy your wins in full.
All casino games require you to make a risk. But if you want to make the most out of your video poker gaming sessions, it is better that you make the right decision before you throw or keep a card. Now that you know three simple steps to increase your chance of winning in video poker, why not try playing a round or two? You can also check out HappiStar’s video poker tutorial to help you learn the game. For more tips, guides, and tutorials on your favorite casino games, visit HappiStar Tips.
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